State Dept cable 1977-230841

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009

Message Text

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE

PAGE 01 PANAMA 07211 051834Z
ACTION ARA-14

INFO OCT-01 ISO-OO CPR-01 SY-05 SAB-02 CU-04 SS-15
NSC-05 SP-02 PRS-01 PA-01 USIA-06 FBOE-OO A-01
CIAE-00 INR-07 NSAE-00 L-03 /068 W

065405 051843Z/46

P 051755Z OCT 77

FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4001

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PANAMA 7211

E.O. 11652: NA
TAGS: PINS, PDIP, ASEC

SUBJECT: PROTEST TO FOREIGN MINISTER ON CAR BURNING INCIDENT
REF: PANAMA 7178

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF PROTEST NOTE DELIVERED OCTOBER 5 TO
ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER OZORES:

ZI HAVE THE HONOR TO CALL YOUR EXCELLENCY'S ATTENTION TO A
GRIEVOUS INCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED YESTERDAY, OCTOBER 4, AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA.

"AT THE INVITATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA AND THE EMBASSY
OF MEXICO, I ATTENDED THE INAUGURATION OF AN EXHIBITION
OF 25 YEARS OF MEXICAN ARCHITECTURE HELD IN THE FOYER OF THE
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA. I
TRAVELLED TO THE EXHIBIT IN THE OFFICIAL VEHICLE OF THE UNITED
STATES AMBASSADOR WILLIAM J. JORDEN.

"WHILE I WAS VIEWING THE EXHIBIT A NUMBER OF STUDENTS SURROUNDED
THE UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE AND BEGAN STONING IT. SINCE IT WAS
IMPOSSIBLE TO DEPART FROM THE UNIVERSITY IN THE AMBASSADOR'S
VEHICLE, I WAS INVITED BY OFFICIALS FROM THE SCHOOL OF
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE

PAGE 02 PANAMA 07211 051834Z

ARCHITECTURE TO WAIT IN THE DEAN'S OFFICE UNTIL THE AGITATION
STOPPED. LATER I WAS ADVISED THAT IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO
LEAVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE STUDENTS DISPERSED. I WAS
ACCOMPANIED BY A UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL IN HIS PRIVATE VEHICLE
BACK TO THE CHANCERY, AND I APPRECIATE THE CONCERN FOR MY
PERSONAL SAFETY SHOWN BY OFFICIALS OF THE UNIVERSITY AND THE
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE.

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009

"UPON MY RETURN TO THE CHANCERY, AS YOUR EXCELLENCY IS AWARE,

I INFORMED YOUR OFFICE AND REQUESTED THAT ACTION BE TAKEN
IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID A POTENTIALLY MORE SERIOUS INCIDENT.

AN OFFICIAL OF THE EMBASSY ALSO INFORMED THE NATIONAL GUARD.

"AN EMBASSY OFFICIAL WHO WAS AT THE SCENE REPORTED THAT
STUDENTS MADE INFLAMMATORY SPEECHES FROM ATOP THE VEHICLE
AND INCITED THE LARGE CROWD THAT HAD ASSEMBLED TO OVERTURN
THE VEHICLE AND SET IT ON FIRE. NEWS REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE
STUDENTS ALSO PREVENTED FIREMEN FROM TWO FIRE VEHICLES WHICH
WERE SUMMONED FROM EXTENGUISHING THE FIRE. AS A RESULT, THE
VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED.

"EXCELLENCY, I MUST PROTEST IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS

THIS COMPLETELY UNWARRANTED AND MALICIOUS DEED ON THE PART OF THE

STUDENTS AND THE FAILURE OF THE PANAMANIAN AUTHORITIES TO TAKE

THE NECESSARY ACTION TO STOP THE STONING AND BURNING OF THE

AMBASSADOR'S VEHICLE. VIOLENT INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE CAN ONLY

SERVE TO ENCOURAGE THOSE ELEMENTS WHO SEEK TO POISEN THE FRIENDLY AND

COOPERATIVE RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS.

"IN MAKING THIS PROTEST, I REQUEST ASSURANCES FROM YOUR
EXCELLENCY THAT IN THE FUTURE THE GOVERNMENT OF PANAMA WILL
TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF UNITED STATES
DIPLOMATIC OFFICIALS AS WELL AS OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE

PAGE 03 PANAMA 07211 051834Z

I ALSO REQUEST RESTITUTION OF THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE."

(COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE)

GONZALEZ

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE

NNN

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009

Message Attributes

Automatic Decaptioning: X
Capture Date: 01 -Jan-1 994 12:00:00 am
Channel Indicators: n/a
Current Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Concepts: DIPLOMATIC PROTESTS, STUDENT DEMONSTRATIONS, AUTOMOBILES, DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL HARASSMENT

Control Number: n/a
Copy: SINGLE

Sent Date: 05-Oct-1977 12:00:00 am
Decaption Date: 01 -Jan-1 960 12:00:00 am

Decaption Note:

Disposition Action: RELEASED
Disposition Approved on Date:

Disposition Case Number: n/a
Disposition Comment: 25 YEAR REVIEW
Disposition Date: 22 May 2009
Disposition Event:

Disposition History: n/a
Disposition Reason:

Disposition Remarks:

Document Number: 1977PANAMA0721 1

Document Source: CORE

Document Unique ID: 00

Drafter: n/a

Enclosure: n/a

Executive Order: N/A

Errors: N/A

Expiration:

Film Number: D770363-0582
Format: TEL
From: PANAMA
Handling Restrictions: n/a
Image Path:

ISecure: 1

Legacy Key: Iink1977/newtext/t19771092/aaaaczyi.tel

Line Count: 97
Litigation Code IDs:

Litigation Codes:

Litigation History:

Locator: TEXT ON-LINE, ON MICROFILM
Message ID: b504f336-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc
Office: ACTION ARA

Original Classification: LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
Original Handling Restrictions: n/a
Original Previous Classification: n/a
Original Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a
Page Count: 2

Previous Channel Indicators: n/a
Previous Classification: LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a
Reference: 77 PANAMA 7178
Retention: 0

Review Action: RELEASED, APPROVED
Review Content Flags:

Review Date: 29-Mar-2005 12:00:00 am
Review Event:

Review Exemptions: n/a
Review Media Identifier:

Review Release Date: n/a
Review Release Event: n/a
Review Transfer Date:

Review Withdrawn Fields: n/a
SAS ID: 1028669
Secure: OPEN
Status: NATIVE

Subject: PROTEST TO FOREIGN MINISTER ON CAR BURNING INCIDENT
TAGS: PINS, PDIP, ASEC, PN, US
To: STATE
Type: TE

vdkvgwkey: odbc://SAS/SAS.dbo.SAS_Docs/b504f336-c288-dd1 1 -92da-001 cc4696bcc
Review Markings:

Margaret P. Grafeld
Declassified/Released
US Department of State
EO Systematic Review
22 May 2009

Markings: Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009